Westcountry

TV chef Rick Stein's stylish new Seafood Restaurant in the small Cornish fishing village of Padstow has opened its doors after a £2.5m refurbishment.

The acclaimed restaurant, which is famous for its wide range of fresh fish, re-opened to the public on Saturday 2 February.

"After more than 30 years we decided it was time for some improvements," said Rick.

"The restaurant is bigger and the best bit is the seafood bar right in the middle. You will be able to sit there and order anything from the menu without booking.

"A couple of chefs will be assembling platters of oysters, langoustines and, almost better still, Japanese sushi and sashimi."

The restaurant closed for refurbishment following New Year's Day lunch and became home to builders and contractors working night and day for the month of January.

Rick Stein: "After more than 30 years we decided it was time for some improvements."

The extension to the restaurant has resulted in an extra 30 seats as well as providing a new entrance for both the restaurant and rooms.

There will also be much improved toilets, a new wine cellar, two extra bedrooms and a terrace for pre dinner drinks overlooking the harbour.

The kitchen is bigger too with a new fish preparation area, new grills and fryers and a very fierce wok burner for turning out the best chilli crab and stir fried mussels with black beans and ginger.

To celebrate the re-opening, the restaurant is offering a special lunch menu built around prime Cornish seafood like lobster, crab, scallops, sole, bass and turbot. The three-course lunch menu will run from Sunday 3 February through to Sunday 16 March and cost £28.50.

"We think the new restaurant is going to be lots of fun. We've put all our paintings back on the walls and it all looks really friendly and bright, the atmosphere will be a bit more lively and informal than before but, with the extra space, I think the service will be better." added Rick.

Rick owns and runs four restaurants in Padstow with his ex-wife, Jill. He has written 11 cookery books, recorded several cookery series and a couple of one off documentaries. His passion is still for seafood; as he says, "nothing is more exhilarating than fresh fish simply cooked".

According to Rick, "it is the daily bounty of local fishermen of perfectly fresh fish which is the reason for the success of The Seafood Restaurant".

In a long career as a chef, Rick has cooked twice for Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street, once for the French President Jacques Chirac and, on another occasion, for the Queen and Prince Philip to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in which all her past prime ministers were invited.

He was awarded an OBE in 2003 for services to Westcountry tourism.

For more information about The Seafood Restaurant, visit www.rickstein.com or call 01841 532700.